Mid-State RV Center Blog!

By Tony Sippel, RV product manager at Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation

 

As vehicles meeting 2010 EPA emissions requirements are hitting the market, Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation (FCCC) has begun to receive feedback from our motorhome dealerships and potential customers. We’ve noticed that people are often confused about what exactly diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) is, how it works and how it fits into the Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology.

 

DEF is a solution stored in a tank, which is injected into the exhaust stream, reacting with the Nitrous Oxide (NOx) in the SCR catalyst, forming harmless nitrogen and water. Let’s take a moment, though to further dispel the myths and fully answer questions regarding DEF.

 

MYTH: SCR technology does not meet EPA 2010 emissions regulations.

FACT: The EPA has approved SCR technology for 2010 emissions regulations. SCR technology is a long-term solution, working to reduce fuel consumption directly tied to carbon-dioxide emissions and significantly decreasing the amount of noxious gasses in the exhaust.

 

MYTH: DEF is corrosive, hazardous and unsafe to handle.

FACT: DEF is two-thirds water. It is an organic, nontoxic compound made of 32.5 percent urea and 67.5 percent de-ionized water. DEF is carefully regulated by the American Petroleum Institute. Also, urea solution is not flammable and is not deemed “hazardous” by any United States or Canadian transportation authority.

 

MYTH: Urea becomes toxic at 118 degrees Fahrenheit.

FACT: According to James Spooner, vice president and general manager at Colonial Chemical Company, urea does not become toxic at any temperature. At 122 degrees Fahrenheit, DEF will still meet ISO specifications of less than 0.2 percent ammonia for at least 35 days. At that rate, it would take more than two years to reach the ammonia level of household ammonia, which obviously is not classified as toxic.

 

MYTH: DEF solution is a significant added expense for vehicle owners.

FACT: The industry is expecting the cost of DEF solution to be parallel with the price of fuel, fluctuating between $2.50 and $3.50 per gallon. Just 2.5 gallons of DEF will yield more than 800 miles of travel. FCCC uses 10 and 13 gallon tanks. Drivers should expect to refill their DEF tank three times a year. Also, through extensive testing, Cummins Engine realized a 5 percent to 9 percent fuel economy advantage with SCR over the alternative in-cylinder EGR solution, which amounts to significant savings over time.

 

 

MYTH: Refilling the DEF tank is a hassle for vehicle owners.

FACT: The DEF tank is as easily accessible to drivers as the gasoline tank. Think of it this way:  Refilling your DEF tank is like refilling your windshield wiper fluid. It’s something that is completed a few times a year, taking no more than five or 10 minutes.

 

With so many myths out there, it’s easy to see why motorhome dealers and drivers have questions about DEF and SCR technology. We hope this has helped clear up any confusion on the topic you may have experienced. If you do have questions or would like more information about DEF and SCR technology, please visit www.factsaboutscr.com or post your questions here, and I’ll be sure to follow up with you.

In Europe, RVs are called "caravans."

Whatever you call them, I have never seen anything quite like the Mehrzeller.

Below is the text of a press release from the Austrian company that is selling these unique campers.

 

Caravans are cool again!

Mobility and living on the move are very important themes of our fast-moving age. People want to be mobile but at the same time, have a strong desire for a lasting home and their own personal four walls. In the camper market there is strong demand for new design and personalized, tailor-made solutions. Individualist tourists want a caravan that is made just for them.

 

The solution to the problem is offered by the “Mehrzeller” – the multicellular caravan. Using the online Configurator, every user sets up a design that is unique, their own layout that they can identify with. The configuration is generated by a computer using the customer’s inputs, and then the final design is done by parameters from the architects to yield an attractive and practicable result. The caravans are produced using the principles of “mass customization”: this allows both the individual wishes of the customer to be accommodated while producing the caravan with series methods. The cost of producing these unique caravans is only marginally more than a conventional mass-produced model.

The Mehrzeller thus introduces a new generation of mobile living. The project, which began as a degree project in Architecture at the Technical University of Graz, can be realized thanks to the support of many respected companies such as Design Composite, Alko, Truma, Dometic, Waeco, Alphatronics, Alugas, Jokon, Fiamma, Cleversolar, Simona, Moralt, Reimo, BMW and others.

 

The prototype of the Mehrzeller is being presented to the public for the first time at the Caravan-Salon 2008 in Düsseldorf from 29.08 - 07.09.2008 in Hall 15, Stand A48. There’ll be another opportunity to see the prototype at the Caravan Salon Austria from 15 -19.10.2008 in Wels.

For further information, visit www.mehrzeller.com

Our friends at SVS (Sound and Video Solutions) never fail to impress me with their professional installation of A/V gear in our motorhomes.

Here we have an awesome audio system with Rockford Fosgate speakers built into one of the storage compartments of a 2009 Coachmen Mirada 355TS we sold this week.

While SVS' work for us here at Mid-State RV is limited to A/V and satellite systems in motorhomes, they are equally proficient at designing and installing home theaters. Don't hesitate to contact them by phone at (478) 256-3628 or by email at SVS2U@SVS2U.com .

People are afraid of using credit cards online, but they don't have a problem handing it over to a waiter who disappears with it for 15 minutes.

From RV Trade Digest

Beginning February 17, 2009, any consumer watching TV with an antenna must be able to receive a digital signal - analog waves will no longer broadcast to television stations.
It's important to understand the changes with over-the-air broadcasting and why consumers should be educated.
What can consumers and dealers do?
In years past, television stations broadcast channels with an analog signal. With new technology developing and changes in FCC regulations, over-the-air broadcasting switches solely to a digital signal, starting in 2009.
The initial reaction to no longer having analog broadcasting causes consumers to think they must replace the parts, or even whole entertainment centers, that won't work.
First and foremost, consumers and retailers alike, should understand that it's not necessary to replace existing televisions. Although purchasing a TV with digital capabilities is an option, it can oftentimes be out of a buyer's budget. There are inexpensive alternatives.
"The biggest thing to emphasize is that the RVer is much more dependent on their local antenna than the home user," Winegard Director Aaron Engberg explains. "The antenna that they have, more than likely, doesn't have to be changed out. What they really need to do is put a converter box between the (antenna) and their analog TV, to continue to receive stations."
Retailers have begun to sell converter boxes, electrical equipment that attaches to the TV to accept digital broadcasting, and convert it to an analog broadcast, which the TV can then broadcast.
According to the Web site DTVtransition.org, "Beginning on January 1, 2008, U.S. households can request up to two coupons valued at $40 each. Each coupon can go toward the purchase of a single set-top converter box that will allow you to continue watching FREE "over-the-air" television on an analog set."
It's important to remember, the only audience members affected are those that use antennas to receive over-the-air broad¬casting. Cable and satellite subscribers are not affected.

What's happening to my TV?
After the switch, any consumer who wants to watch TV and does not subscribe to a cable or satellite provider, must use a television that accepts digital broadcasts. Analog broadcasting will become obsolete.
Unlike analog broadcasting, digital broadcasting allows viewers to either receive a crisp picture, or nothing at all. Along with that, digital technology projects a clearer Dolby digital sound.
Digital broadcasts also give television stations the opportunity to air more than one show simultaneously, or by broadcasting "multiplex" channels. This concept allows television stations the ability to broadcast up to six channels on the same frequency, providing more options for information, shows and news to their audience.
"Local TV stations are broadcasting normal television shows on, let's say, channel 6-1. Then on 6-2, (the same station) will be showing a live radar of your local weather," Engberg says. "I've even seen places like Las Vegas do things like traffic reports."
High definition television, on the other hand, is just one type of TV that accepts digital broadcasts. It has nothing to do with the transition from analog to digital broadcasting.
By taking advantage of the multiple changes in the electronics world, some marketing campaigns have aimed at selling new TVs to consumers. This scheme involves convincing customers that the switch from analog to digital broadcasting also affects HD broadcasts. The truth is they are completely separate.
An HD television will receive a signal from the broad¬cast station, regardless if it's an analog or digital signal.

For more information and FAQs about the transition, visit www.DTVtransition.org
To sign up for converter box coupons, consumers can visit www.dtv2009.gov